PROGRAMS Join us at the Wildlife Interpretation Centre for some amazing programs and events that showcase the natural beauty and diversity of the Creston Valley wetland. Read below to find out more. Wetland Experiences for Schools With a 17,000 acre outdoor classroom at our fingertips, the Wildlife Interpretation Centre offers a hands-on, experience-based approach to environmental education that is matched to curriculum needs. Students learn in a fun and supportive environment with plenty of opportunities for excitement and adventure! Our school programs are available for primary, intermediate and high school students. During the summer months, Jr. Naturalist’s programs are available for children ages 3 to 11. Read below to find out more information on our 2009 programs. Elementary School This year, we are celebrating the weird behaviors and body parts of birds! Primary Program: Birds and Beaks Intermediate Program: Bones, Behaviors and Barf! Programs investigate form and function, classification, breeding and brooding behaviors and ecology of birds. These curriculum-based, hands-on excursions are a dramatic way to end a great year of classroom science. When: Programs available May 13 to June 26 - Wed to Fri Cost: $ 4 per student (2 hour program) Nocturnal Adventures We invite you to discover our wetland site at night. Students, grades 4-7, bring sleeping bags and flashlights and we provide the exciting nocturnal adventure. A perfect solution for those classes traveling from a distance. When: Available on Mondays from May 25 to June 22. Starts at 7 pm and goes to 9 am the next day. Cost: $20 per student; $10 per supervisor (5:1 ratio) Canoe Tours (Grades 4-7) Bring your class on a Naturalist-led canoe tour. These one-hour paddles are full of surprises as you part the cattails to look for nests, taste some wetland treats and learn more about the plants and animals that live here. Combine this tour with our Bones, Behaviors and Barf program for a fun filled day! Cost: $5 per student To register your class or to find out more about the elementary school programs, contact us at: (250) 402 6906 or gcooper[at]crestonwildlife.ca. Please have choice of dates, class size, school address, phone & fax numbers ready when booking a program. High School and Community Groups Stewardship Program The Stewardship Program is open to high school students, community groups and individuals who want to improve environmental quality and achieve sustainable outcomes within the wetland. Participants perform hands-on habitat enhancement activities such as removing invasive species, erecting & monitoring nesting boxes and shoreline cleanups. When: Available from May 11 to June 26 Cost: This program is free this year! To register your class or to find out more about the high school program, contact us at: (250) 402 6905 or chaegele[at]crestonwildlife.ca. Summer Youth Programs Jr. Naturalists Weeklong, investigative summer science programs designed for those who like exploring, collecting, creating and generally frolicking about in our wetland playground. Curious Caterpillars For ages 6&7 Sessions: July 13-17 or July 27-31 Time: 9-1 pm Cost: $47 or $40 for members Wascally Weasels For ages 8&9 Sessions: July 13-17 or July 27-31 Time: 9-3 pm Cost: $66 or $60 for members Snickering Snipes For ages 10&11 Sessions: July 20-24 Time: 9-3 pm ...with a sleepover on Thursday Cost: $98 or $90 for members Chickadee Time An invitation to bring your little chickadees, ages 3-5 years old, on six Naturalist-led outings of discovery and fun. For ages 8-10 Session: Tuesdays from May 19 to June 23 Time: 10-11:30 am or 1-2:30 pm Cost: $35 or Family Membership Have a Happy Birthday… at the Wildlife Area! You and six friends can choose a canoe study or pond science program. We provide the drinks and chips, you bring the cake! Call us to book. Time: Saturdays from 10-11:30 am or 1-2:30 pm Cost: $7 per person SPECIAL EVENTS All events meet at the Interpretation Centre. Please call (250) 402 6908 to register for all events unless it says otherwise. Family Bird-a-Thon - May 30 Grab our Bird Challenge Sheet and head out into the spring wetland to gather answers and observations about our feathered friends weird behaviors, body parts and sounds - squawk! It’s not about counting birds, it’s about the sneaky detective work of spying on birds. Cookies and juice for all. We encourage families to dress up for the part! Prizes for the best disguises... Time: 9 am to Noon Cost: Free Morning Chorus - Saturdays in June Rise and shine to the chorus of songbirds in the wetland. Join us for a leisurely morning of spectacular bird watching lead by a Wildlife Area Naturalist. Breakfast served on deck afterwards. Time: 7:30 am - 10 am Cost: $10 per person; Free for Members Pruning Workshop - June 6 Learn to tame the wild beasts growing in your backyard! This morning workshop will give you tips and techniques for keeping your greenery healthy and attractive. Time: 10 am to Noon Cost: $10 per person Dads and Tads Sleepover - June 20 Share the evening with bats, beavers and owls as you and your Dad prowl the wetland. Sleep over at the Interpretation Centre and join the birds for a morning walk and breakfast Time: Sat 7 pm to Sun 10 am Cost: $20 per person Sunrise Paddle - July 11 and August 1 We love to paddle through the wetland in the morning in search of wildlife. Join us for as we glide through the ponds and channels, watching the wetland come alive as the sun rises. Time: 7 am to 9 am Cost: $10 per person; Free for Members Night Quest - July 25 A clue, a shadow, a sound...visit each of the eight mysterious discovery stations along a lantern lit trail and then return with your answers to the Centre for some yummy hot chocolate. Allow one-hour to complete the trail. Time: Come any time between 7 pm and 10 pm Cost: Free Fields and Flashlights - August 15 Join our Nocturnal Naturalist on an evening stroll across a wetland meadow to meet our nighttime creatures as they flap, scuttle and ooze their way about. Flashlights, gumboots and a pocket full of Grandma’s cookies are all you need for this outing. Time: 7:30 pm to 9:30 pm Cost: $2 per person Fall Spa Walk - September 26 Face the world with glowing skin and silky hair, thanks to Mother Nature! Join us on a Spa Walk, where you will learn how to deep condition your hair and revitalize your skin using the properties of wetland plants and processes. Mud mask included! Time: 1 pm to 4 pm Cost: $15 per person; $10 Members BC River’s Day Paddle - September 27 Join us for a day paddle to celebrate our local waterways. You must bring your own canoe or kayak and have some experience. Time: Meet at 10 am Cost: Free. No need to register for this one, just show up! Bundles Hiking Club A fall walking time for parents and babies, birth to one year. Enjoy the sights and sounds of fall migration as you hike a flap top wetland trail. The hike is one-hour and baby is in a front or back carrier of your choice. To register you and your bundle in this fun, fit 6-week long program, call us at (250) 402 6908. When: Wednesdays, September 9 - October 7 Time: 1 pm to 2:30 pm Cost: $20 COMMUNITY EVENTS Hospice Walk - September 19 This annual fund raising event takes place on the dyke trails around the Interpretation Centre. Please call (250) 428 2994 for more information. 6th Annual Blue Heron Run - September 27 A half marathon that begins and ends at the Interpretation Centre. Go to www.crestonbc.com/blueheronhalfathon for more information. CONFERENCES Columbia Mountains Institute Researchers’ Meeting and AGM May 7-8 www.cmiae.org Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) Conference June 2 www.IGBConline.org National Training Course for Canadian Ramsar Site Managers Oct 5-8 Presented by the Centre for Environmental Stewardship and Conservation (www.ceschabitat.ca) in cooperation with the Creston Valley Wildlife Management Area To find out more about the Training course and how to register, please click here.